Malaysia’s Third Covid Wave: 375 Cases, Five Clusters, Five Sabah Deaths Today

371 coronavirus cases reported today were locally transmitted, bringing the number of active cases to 3,703.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — Health authorities reported 375 new Covid-19 cases today, including 303 in the community, as well as five new clusters and five new deaths.

At a virtual press conference, Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today described the current resurgence of the coronavirus as the third wave in Malaysia.

Sabah, the epicentre of the new wave, has reported 1,901 local coronavirus cases within the past fortnight, including 533 in Semporna, the worst-hit district in the poorest state in the country.

Since October 1, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has been continuously reporting three-digit Covid-19 cases every day. On October 6, Malaysia reported the highest daily tally since the Covid-19 outbreak at 691 cases. Currently, 60 coronavirus patients are in the intensive care unit, including 20 on ventilator support.

Five deaths were reported in Sabah today, bringing the nationwide Covid-19 death toll to 146 cases. Death number 142, reported in Lahad Datu Hospital, was a 55-year-old man with hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia. Death 143 was reported in Semporna Hospital, a 75-year-old woman with hypertension. Death 144, which was reported in Duchess of Kent, Sandakan Hospital, was a 57-year-old man with diabetes and hypertension.

Two death cases were reported in Tawau Hospital — an 82-year-old man with no underlying diseases and a 53-year-old man with diabetes.

MOH also reported five new clusters today in Sabah (two clusters), Kuala Lumpur (one cluster), Sarawak (one cluster), and Labuan (one cluster).

Sabah’s new cluster, Tujuh Serangkai cluster, was detected in Tuaran, Sabah. The index case was detected during a symptomatic screening on October 5. Upon close contact screening, a total of 23 individuals were tested positive with Covid-19.

The second new cluster detected in Sabah was the Tanamera cluster detected in Tawau, Sabah. The index case for this cluster was also detected during a symptomatic screening on September 29. During close contact screening, MOH managed to detect a total of nine Covid-19 positive individuals from this cluster.

The Jalan Pantai cluster detected in Kuala Lumpur was detected in the Lembah Pantai district, whereby the index case of this cluster tested positive on October 8 during a symptomatic screening. A total of eight individuals have tested positive from this cluster.

There was a new cluster detected in Labuan today, the Bah Bangat cluster. The index case was tested positive with Covid-19 on October 3 during a Sabah returnee screening. A total of nine individuals have tested positive from this cluster so far.

Currently, the number of active cases have spiked to 3,703 cases with 60 of them being treated in the intensive care unit including 20 of them on ventilator support.

Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah also said Malaysia yesterday used 51 per cent of its RT-PCR testing capacity of 41,354 samples, where 20,985 samples were tested.

Sabah (271 cases)

A total of six individuals were from Ramai-ramai cluster, five from Laut cluster, three from Benteng LD cluster, three from Tujuh Serangaki cluster, two from Tanamera cluster, and 252 from various Covid-19 screenings.

Selangor (36 cases)

Twelve cases were reported from Jalan Meru cluster, four from a screening of Sabah returnees, 20 from various other screenings for Covid-19.

Kedah (16 cases)

A total of 14 individuals who tested positive were from the Tembok cluster in a prison in Alor Star, one from the Bah Sintok cluster, and one from a Covid-19 screening.

Kuala Lumpur (10 cases)

Eight individuals tested positive from the Jalan Pantai cluster and two cases from a screening of Sabah returnees.

Labuan (10 cases)

A total of eight individuals tested positive from Bah Bangat cluster and two from a Sabah returnee screening.

Johor (Five cases)

Three from a Sabah returnee screening, and two from other Covid-19 screening.

Perak (Five cases)

Two cases were detected from Bah Puchong cluster, two cases were from a Sabah returnee screening, while one case was from other Covid-19 screening.

Terengganu (Five cases)

One from a Sabah returnee screening and four cases from other Covid-19 screenings.

Negri Sembilan (Two cases)

Both cases were detected during a Sabah returnee screening.

The Health director-general also recommended those who returned from Sabah before September 27 with no symptoms or contact with a Covid-19 positive case to go for screening themselves.

However, he said that those with symptoms or who came in close contact with a Covid-19 patient should present themselves at the nearest health facility.

Dr Noor Hisham also said that as of now, leave for health care workers has not been frozen, but said that it will be reviewed from time to time.

He also said that the ministry is looking at the cases to see if there is a need to open the low-risk Covid-19 treatment centre at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS), Serdang. As of now, in Sungai Buloh Hospital, an exclusive Covid-19 hospital, there are 400 beds available.

However, he said that in Sabah, MOH has opened six quarantine and low-risk treatment centres.

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